Saved By Grace Alone

I watch for the exit that leads to Grace Street. Something tickles at my mind and I am amused for a moment by the thought of being saved on a street of that name.

"Yes, but we can not be saved by grace alone," Leda responds without much inflection to her voice, like she is giving an automatic response to a question.

I find myself staring into her green eyes in wonder. She smiles a little bit, reassuringly, but I feel there is more in her gaze than her attempt at humor could express. I shudder a little bit, feeling uncomfortable. Leda looks away, turning to look into the car behind us.

"She thinks she has us where she wants us," Leda says in the same lackluster tone, "Neesa, is this road long enough?"

"I'm not a GPS system, but I hope no one is out for a run," Neesa replies as she swerves slightly to avoid a car that is parked too far from the curb on the tree-lined street.

The walkie talkie bursts into life again, as I hear a whirring sound somewhere above us, "You lucky ladies need a man to pick you up?"

The familiar voice breaks through the stillness in the car. My stomach does not lurch like it did when the stranger said something similar. I feel my face scrunch up subconsciously as I try to place the voice.

"That we do. Is that you I hear swooping down on us, AAB?"

"Yes, ma'am, and I have just enough seats for three beautiful damsels, so get ready to get astride my charger."

The sound of the helicopter grows louder. Leda reaches up to open the sun roof as Neesa hits a button on the steering wheel.

"Leda, give me Bella's new shoes. Bella out on the roof."

"What?"

I don't have much time to argue as Leda swiftly hands over the requested bag. She then leans over me and unsnaps my seatbelt. Then she is helping me up and out of the skylight. I find myself clutching at the sleek roof of the car. My hair is whipped by the air from the car's forward motion as well as the air from the whirring blades of the helicopter. I am blinded for a moment by long strands of fine-spun gold. Then Neesa is beside me, trying to clamber to her feet on the slick rooftop.

"I wish these things were flatter," she mutters.

"I'll help you get up high enough to reach the ladder. Then you can reach back for Bella and I," Leda says as she straightens up.

Even from inside the car, she is closer to reaching the rung of the ladder dangling directly above us than either Neesa or myself. Of course, she has the advantage of not being unable to get footing on the slick, polished surface of the roof.

"Are you..." Neesa begins.

"I am the only one tall enough and you are the gymnast, Neesa, go," Leda cuts her off.

Neesa just nods as Leda boosts her up far enough to grab the ladder. For a moment it seems that the ladder will still be out of reach, but Neesa manages to get a firm hold and reaches a hand back for me. I refuse to let go of the sunroof. I have realized that no one is driving the car anymore, yet I am not willing to let go of my handhold. Leda grabs me firmly about the waist and hoists me upward.

"Let go, silly, you have to go," she says with a hint of irritability as she does this.

"Baby Bella, you have to trust me, give me your hand," Neesa says as Leda hoists me up.

"It's okay, Bella, I'm right behind you," Leda says as my hand slips into Neesa's.

Our fingers become entwined and lock together. Neesa pulls me closer to her. I can hear her grunt under the unexpected weight, but seconds later, I find myself able to grab onto the bottom rung. Neesa puts her other hand as close as she can to the first, so I can put both hands on the ladder.

"Climb," she says between clenched teeth.

I find the climb more difficult than it appears in the movies. Though Neesa hangs beneath me like a weight, she is barely enough to counteract the swaying movement of the ladder. I pull myself from rung to rung, feeling how hopeless and weightless I am without my feet, like flying without the wings. As I can finally put a foot on the rung to help in my climb, I look back for a moment to see how Neesa and Leda are doing. I choose the wrong moment.

I look back as a beat-up pickup pulls out of a side street in front of our car. Leda is still on the roof, crouching on her knees and letting go of the sunroof to reach for Neesa's hand. Their fingers touch for a second and then the cars collide. The screech of metal rips the air apart, and I hear my own scream echoing it. Then I am watching in horror as the world slows down to mock me and Leda flies forward, somehow clearing both vehicles.

I swear I see her tuck and roll in midair to take the impact. I hear the sports car's tires squealing and see it sliding off toward the opposite side of the road to avoid becoming part of the crash. The driver of the pick-up is already out of the car and heading toward Leda. Then a tree cuts off my vision and I feel Neesa's hand on my calf. I can barely hear her screaming at me over the sounds of the engine, but I know she is telling me to climb.

My leaden muscles manage to get me into the safety of the helicopter where I see the owner of the familiar voice. I could never mistake the patriot in control of the helicopter for anyone else.

AAB looks at me briefly, "You must be that little girl's mom, but how did you both get scars on your faces?"

"I..." I begin in confusion.

"AAB, just fly," Neesa interrupts as she climbs in and takes a seat beside me, maintaining her composure though I can see the worry eating away at her as she gazes back down toward Grace Street.